What I learned from my Seven Day Vegan challenge is… I really have a lot to learn.

Sure, I ate healthier, by not consuming processed foods, eliminating dairy, and animal byproducts but that was just a tip of the iceberg.

Vegetarianism goes way deeper than just avoiding the consumption of meats, including animal byproducts. I can say with all honesty, I failed horribly at being a Vegan for the following reasons:

1. I still dressed in leather, silks, and wool (on a cool night).

2. I consumed honey (once I learned that was a “no-no” I stopped immediately).

3. I drank caffeinated coffee and with cream (again, a “no-no”) SMH.

However, the good thing is… I’m learning and the more knowledge I obtain, the better I’ll become at practicing the Vegan lifestyle. I can truly say that I agree with the ethical side of being a Vegan and understand that supplements are needed in order to maintain optimal health. Just eating fruits and vegetables (raw or semi-cooked) will not suffice, especially for my busy life.

There are different levels (Lacto vegetarianism, Ovo vegetarianism, Ovo-lacto vegetarianism), to adopting a vegetarian or vegan diet. Both have healthy benefits, one is stricter than the other and then there is a little known term called “pescatarian”, which incorporates fish and other seafood (no red meat, pork, or poultry) with the vegetarian diet.

Pescatarians are sometimes described as vegetarian or pesco-vegetarian, but vegetarians commonly do not consider the pescatarian diet to be vegetarian. Because of the ingestion of poultry, fish, and other animal byproducts.

While observing my “flawed” vegan challenge, there were subtle changes in my body that occurred and I quickly made adjustments for. One of the most painful, was cramping in my extremities (legs, and hands). I found it was basically due to lack of sufficient hydration (H20). A minor complication that was easily corrected by drinking more water and less of my favorite beverage “caffeinated coffee”.

The benefits of becoming a Vegan or Vegetarian, definitely have me considering eliminating meat and dairy products altogether due to research studies that indicate higher levels of carcinogens. Namely, “casein” found in animal byproducts and it being attributed to cancer. The “China Study” that the majority of vegans like to use as their “bible” for lack of a better word, uses test animals for their research. Hmm, I thought that cruelty to animals was something totally against the Vegan lifestyle? Wouldn’t testing of animals fall under that category? I suppose some cruelty and loss of life is a justifiable evil. Right?

Well, for the sake of argument, I’ll just say from my own experience avoiding meat and dairy products for seven days has awakened my senses and I prefer a plant-based diet over the consumption of animals and their byproducts simply because I believe it to be “healthier”.

That’s all for now as I continue my life’s journey into health and wealth, make sure to sign up via email to stay abreast of my next “self-discovery/adventure”. Thanks for reading and remember to share, comment, and/or like.